Done deal: Newcastle agree striker transfer

By Harry Sykes

Newcastle forward Adam Armstrong has agreed to extend his loan with Championship club Barnsley until the end of the season, it was announced on Thursday.

The 19-year-old's current loan was due to end at the beginning of January but the two clubs have reached an agreement for it to continue for the remainder of the 2016-17 campaign.

Newcastle announced on their official website and Twitter account on Thursday afternoon that the highly rated young striker will stay at Oakwell and continue to develop his game for the second-tier outfit.

Intriguingly, the Magpies revealed that Armstrong will be eligible to take part if Barnsley are involved in the play-offs in May, even though they could be a direct rival of Newcastle for the coveted chance to play in next season's Premier League.

Armstrong, who has been capped two times by England at Under-20 level, has been a regular for Paul Heckingbottom’s promotion challengers this season.

He has made 16 appearances, all of which have come in the league, and scored three goals as well as supplied two assists.

Armstrong is regarded as a future Newcastle first-teamer and the club have taken the measure of tying him down to a contract that runs until 2020.

But he was allowed to go on loan by manager Rafael Benitez because he is behind the likes of Dwight Gayle and Aleksandar Mitrovic in the striker pecking order at St James' Park.

Armstrong has made 21 senior Newcastle appearances, mainly as a substitute, and has yet to open his goal account for the club although he has provided three assists.

In other Newcastle transfer news, a defender has signed after the north-east giants settled terms.